Understanding Two Common Questions About Faith, War, and God's People
A brief response to honest questions
Recently, in response to a prayer update about the escalating conflict in the Middle East, someone with a name, Penanu raised two important questions:
1. “Sorry to say, it's only Africans who believe in Jesus Christ's teachings. Otherwise, why destroy human life?”
2. “To those who are not scholars, they may think Israelites are Christians—that's very wrong.”
These are honest questions that many people wrestle with. Let's take a moment to address both with humility and biblical clarity.
Part One: Is Faith in Jesus Only an African Reality?
The short answer is no—and the Bible itself shows us why.
A Global Faith from the Beginning
Christianity did not begin in Africa or Europe. It began in the Middle East, among Jewish people, and spread outward in every direction. Some of the earliest Christian communities were in:
· Jerusalem (Israel)
· Antioch (modern-day Turkey)
· Alexandria (Egypt)
· Ethiopia (Africa)
· Rome (Europe)
From its birth, the Church has been a multi-ethnic, multi-continental family. The apostle John captures this beautifully in Revelation:
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
— Revelation 7:9
Faith in Jesus has never been limited to one people group. It is for all who believe.
Then Why Does War Continue Among Those Who Claim Faith?
This is the deeper question—and Scripture answers it honestly.
Believing in Jesus does not make us instantly perfect. It makes us forgiven and begins a lifelong process of transformation. But until Christ returns, believers still carry a fallen nature that wars against God's ways.
The apostle Paul himself confessed this struggle:
“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”
— Romans 7:19
War and violence are not evidence that faith is false. They are evidence that humanity is fallen—every nation, every people group included. Sin is not a regional problem; it is a human problem.
Jesus did not come to make people instantly sinless. He came to:
· Forgive us (Ephesians 1:7)
· Give us new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26)
· Send His Spirit to transform us (2 Corinthians 3:18)
· And one day, make all things new (Revelation 21:5)
True followers of Jesus are called to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), to love enemies (Matthew 5:44), and to pursue peace (Romans 12:18). When any person or nation chooses violence over peace, they act against the teachings of Christ—not because of them.
Part Two: Are Israelites the Same as Christians?
Here, the questioner makes an important clarification: “To those who are not scholars, they may think Israelites are Christians—that's very wrong.”
This is correct—and worth understanding clearly.
Who Are the Israelites?
The Israelites are the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are God's chosen people of the Old Covenant, through whom He revealed Himself and promised to bless all nations.
“You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession.”
— Deuteronomy 7:6
God made covenants with Israel, gave them the Law, and promised that through them, the Savior of the world would come.
Who Are Christians?
Christians are people—both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews)—who believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah and Savior. They are saved by grace through faith in His death and resurrection.
Paul explains it this way:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.”
— Galatians 3:28-29
The Relationship: Grafted In, Not Replaced
Does this mean God has rejected Israel? Absolutely not. Paul addresses this directly:
“Has God rejected His people? By no means!”
— Romans 11:1
Instead, Paul uses the image of an olive tree to explain the relationship (Romans 11:17-24):
· The root is the covenant promises God made to Israel.
· The natural branches are Jewish believers in Jesus.
· The wild branches grafted in are Gentile believers.
We do not replace Israel. We are grafted into the spiritual blessings of Abraham through faith. And one day, Paul promises, “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26)—a mystery we await with hope.
In Simple Terms
Israelites are the physical descendants of Abraham and the people of the Old Covenant, chosen to bring forth the Messiah and still beloved by God (Romans 11:28-29), while Christians are Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus as the Messiah, comprising the people of the New Covenant in Christ, saved through the very Messiah Israel brought forth, and grafted into the spiritual blessings of Abraham through faith.
A Final Word
These are not small questions—and they deserve thoughtful, biblical answers.
- Faith in Jesus is global. It always has been. Believers exist on every continent, in every nation, because the Gospel is for all people.
- War exists because sin exists. It grieves God's heart, and He calls His people to be peacemakers even in a broken world.
- Israelites and Christians are distinct, yet connected. God's promises to Israel remain, and through Jesus, believers from every nation are welcomed into the family of Abraham by faith.
If these questions have stirred your heart, I encourage you to keep seeking. Read the Scriptures for yourself. Ask God to give you understanding. He is not threatened by honest questions—He welcomes them.
And if you would like to talk further, I am always here.
Grace and peace to you.
— Silas Oriokot
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